


Empty chairs at empty tables

by lestibournes



Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [4]
Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Other, i made myself sad aaaaaaaa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:46:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23454994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lestibournes/pseuds/lestibournes
Summary: Breeze went back to clubs’s shop to mourn the friends he lost (set after WoA chapter 54)
Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652455
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	Empty chairs at empty tables

**Author's Note:**

  * For [olivemyheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/olivemyheart/gifts).



It was still snowing when Breeze found himself wandering on the Luthadel streets. There were dead and wounded everywhere he went. He instantly tried to Soothe away people’s pain but he had run out of brass a long time ago. _How useless you are_ . He thought. _All you’ve ever been good at is running away. You ran from your house and pretended to be a skaa. You always run the second things get tough._

Before he realized where he was going, his feet had taken him back to Clubs’ shop. Miraculously, it survived Koloss’ attack and rampage, and the chaos that came with it. Breeze gently pushed the door open, his hand trembling. He walked through the counter to the back of the shop. Breeze suspected he could find his way back to here even if he was blind since he must have walked the same route a million times. Somehow he had thought he would find his friends all safe and sound, all sitting around the table enjoying a night cup like they used to.

_Kelsier would be the only one standing, talking loudly about some anecdotes that made everyone burst into laughter; Dockson would be shaking his head and complaining that they’d spent too many boxings; good-natured Sazed would just listen quietly, looking ever so peaceful while trying to make sure everyone was well attended to. Breeze imagined seeing Vin and young Spook, their eyes wild open, so keen and eager, trying to absorb these new ideas of content and comfort which were unknown to them before. The old Smoker never said much, but Breeze knew at some point he would tell his nephew to get another bottle of wine from the cellar, that was how you know Clubs was in a good mood. Eventually, Ham would start asking philosophical questions and Breeze would simply roll his eyes._

But his friends weren’t there.

Instead there was just an empty table, broken wooden stools scattering around it. _Clubs made those chairs…_ _Each had this intricate decorative pattern on it._ Breeze knew. He had noticed the pride on Clubs’ face when he talked about art. _It would break his heart when he found out they are broken._ Then it hit him.

Breeze felt a weakness to his knees that made him wobble. Scarlet blood on white snow. Clubs’ blood.

He wanted to scream, but no sound came out from his mouth. He wanted to cry, to let out this ache he felt, to let it all go, but all he did was kneeling on Clubs’ wooden floor with his whole body shaking. Earlier when Ham first found him, he felt like an empty shell. Now he felt like he would explode any second with the amount of emotions trapped in his heart. 

When his tears finally came, Breeze was curling up into a ball on the ground, trembling so violently he could barely stand up. _They’re dead… Clubs and Dockson…_ Why, why them and not him? Breeze thought bitterly. _If I’d known how to fight, maybe they’d stand a chance_. 

Breeze had always hated opening up to people and this was why. Life was hard enough, losing people you cared about only made it more unbearable. Breeze had managed to stay aloof before, until that idiot Kelsier taught him to trust and care. _He always kind of knew I cared, didn't he? That bastard._ Kelsier had that ability— he brought out the best in people, even someone like Breeze. 

But he was dead. Their leader Kelsier was dead and he left this mess behind and expected them to clean it up. And the result was this: Breeze hid and lived while his friends fought and died. He saw so clearly now, how skilled he was at lying even to himself, that he could be brave.

Someone pushed the door. It could be anyone, friend, Koloss, Straff’s soldier, but Breeze didn’t care. He didn’t care if he lived or died. He just wanted the pain to end. 

“Thought I’d find you here.” A familiar voice said. Breeze raised an eyebrow. He should not be here. He should be away. And safe. Breeze opened his eyes and saw Spook standing in front of him.

The boy looked beaten up. His shirt was ragged and dirty, but he seemed to be in one piece. 

“Ham told me he couldn’t find you in the emergency medical unit they set up in the Palace. Asked me to find you.” 

“How did you know I’d be here?” Spook shrugged. He looked exhausted. 

“Why did you come back? Didn’t you know it was dangerous? There were Koloss!” Breeze snapped. He sat up too quickly and his head felt fuzzy. How long had it been since the battle? 

“Your uncle…” Breeze whispered. Spook nodded. The young boy gave Breeze a weak smile.

“I couldn’t save him. I- I’m sorry.” Breeze muttered. He fell slowly on the ground. There went all the strength he’d left. Admitting it to someone made it feel even more real. And it was eating him from the inside out. 

Squinting through his tears, he saw young Spook walking towards the cabinet. He then took down a bottle from the cupboard and sniffed the content. “Still good,” he said softly, and poured some for him and Breeze. He handed Breeze his drink and sat down next to him.

“Uncle Grumpy would hate it if his wine goes to waste,” Spook finally broke the silence. Breeze felt his heart break and surprisingly, simultaneously mend a little. He let out a chuckle — fake — a covering up that he was about to start crying at the thought of not having a last drink with Clubs.

“I think we should go back to the palace.” Spook said softly. 

Breeze shook his head, maybe a little bit too quickly. “I couldn’t face the crew.” 

Spook shot him some glances. Breeze looked into the infinite sadness of Spook’s eyes. He looked at all his guilt and shame. All the hurt he’d been through and the immense pain he felt. But Breeze had no more brass, he couldn’t soothe them away. 

“I don’t feel you soothing me?” Spook asked. Breeze sighed. “I’m out of brass.”

Spook nodded. He breathed in and out deeply. 

“I- I think some pain is alright. You know what I mean? Uncle and Dox would be furious if we didn’t at least mourn them for a bit.” Spook’s smile looked weak but Breeze smiled back — a little bit more real this time.

At that moment, Breeze made a promise, the first one he made in ages. He would look after Spook. He would make sure he was safe in the times to come. That was the least he could do for his late friends.

Besides him, Spook let out a sigh and fell asleep on Breeze’s shoulder.


End file.
